'Give Zombies a Chance,' Says Walking Dead Creator

(sad music)

My comic book's getting turned into a television show.

I don't know how I could be ...

I don't know what better thing can happen.

You know, television is really, kind of,

your mid-level, like mid-budget movie these days.

You got your blockbusters and everything in theaters.

But, special effects have gotten to a point

where like, Lost and Heroes, like ...

that's your 40 million dollar picture now,

you know, it's on television.

So, I think that as television kinda grows,

you're gonna see a lot more comic books on T.V.

And I'm really excited about that.

The Walking Dead has always been about the characters.

It's really kinda masking a nice, dramatic character study

with zombies to make it kinda more interesting.

But, it's really all about Rick Grimes and

these people trying to live in this world and survive.

And the things that they go through,

and how living in this world changes them.

It's a little grim, I'll admit.

People are dying.

It's very sad.

I've been watching dailies.

I'm executive producer, so I'm involved in the process.

I've been out to the writers' room.

I've been working with them, like shaping the season.

I wrote the fourth episode.

So, I mean, you know, I'm there every step of the way.

I mean, luckily Frank and Gale Anne Hurd and

all the people, you know, the cast ...

They're doing such a great job.

I don't really have to step in and do anything.

But, it's going along really good.

I've seen a cut of the pilot,

and it looks really good.

And, I couldn't be happier.

I think it's gonna really blow people away.

It's something that people aren't really

seeing on television right now, or possibly ever.

So, I think it's gonna a really

unique television experience.

It's good to be able to kinda see what

the show is starting at,

which is the start of the book.

And then, seeing where it's at by volume 12,

where Rick Grimes is a vastly different character whose

been through a lot of pain and suffering.

And we've kinda seen how that's shaped

and molded him as a character.

And these are our loved ones, and, you know,

our relatives and friends and neighbors.

And, you know, it's not their fault that they're dead.

And it's not their fault they're trying to eat you.

It's good to kinda view them in a

sympathetic light, you know.

Zombies are really cool.

I mean, I understand that vampires

are a little more romantic,

and all that kinda stuff.

But, I mean, zombies, give 'em a chance.

You'd be surprised.

(breathing heavily)

(growling)

You know, I'm having a good time with them.

(synth-pop style music)